THE 'ELUSIVE' SUCCESS

'Fame is a bee.It has a song-It has a sting-Ah, too, it has a wing'. (Eily Dickinson)

Life is a struggle- the struggle to achieve success. Right from the time one is born, the desire to learn various skills and activities takes over the living beings.

We, the human beings, are more evolved.We have devised systems to measure the levels of success anyone achieves at various stages of life and in various activities.

However, in most spheres of life, the measurement of success is still subjective or gross. Also, in the long run, it is nothing but the macro aspects which define success or failure, or the degrees of success and achievements.

When we are young, even small attainments are so relevant and enjoyable. Then, at school/ college, it is the percentage of marks and position in class/ board/ university which gets all the attention. One may top the school board or university and celebrate like a king at the moment the result is out.

After that follow the selection for a job or position, and still later aquisition of higher positions, status, wealth and assets. Once one gets married/ have offsprings, the same cycle starts for the children again.

As parents one starts getting judged by the successes of the offspring.

You are happy when everything is going fine. However, trouble starts when your ambitions are too high and the results don't match them.

A lot of mental strain accompanies the race to achieve. Excessive strains lead to ill-health. If one is not able to sustain his health, all the successes go down the drain and one, despite all the achievements, can be considered 'not successful'. So many high achievers have early death due to too much strain they undertake for being successful at the earliest!

'Success has ruined many a man'. (Benamin Franklin)

'The paths of glory lead but to grave' (Thomas Gray)

Success also bring loneliness. 'Success is as ice cold and lonely as the North Pole' (Vicki Baum)

On next level still, is the SELF-REALISATION (Maslow's Theory)/ ENLIGHTENMENT. This is too difficult to measure and highly subjective. Also, many people reach there while skipping the intervening stages which are not essential to be THERE!

Success or failure can be there even in charitable activities. Not necessarily all such projects are successful.

So, what is SUCCESS? When can one be considered to be really successful? Do short-term successes/ failures matter, despite the fact that they may have bearing in the time taken to attain the final goal? Is it OK if we skip certain aspects of achievements in life while be good in others, or should that upset us???